Headache time!
by namaster
Summary: Rick has a headache and an attitude to go with it no secrets whatsoever, just a romance story with a bit of humor.Please, enjoy!


Disclaimer: I wish I owned a little bit of Castle!

"Ok, Castle, I am all done here " Kate slid into the driver's seat and continued:

"What were you saying about that place you know? I feel kind of hungry. The paperwork probably can wait till tomorrow, we deserve some treat."

"Castle?" Kate looked away from the road because her overly-talkative partner has just gone mute and that was definitely unusual. Her eyes found Castle leaning on his right arm, eyes closed, brows gathered.

"Castle?" This time she took her right hand from the steering wheel and shook him a little.

"Uhm, yes?" That was a response from her chatty writer, the response she immediately disliked because she felt panicky, like really panicky.

"Rick, what is it? Are you hurt? What's wrong?" Her voice became softer, intimate, genuine concern dripping from every word.

"Headache" he mumbled in response. "Take me to the precinct."

"I am taking you straight home!" Kate's voice was firm. "Then I will go and finish my paperwork though without you staring at me I might feel lonely" She tries for a joke but he doesn't even smile, not even a little.

"I can't go to the loft." Kate can almost sense how talking is hard for him. She keeps her voice quiet hoping it is more comfortable for him.

"Why not?"

" Mother has gathered some previously-famous people to go on and on about her school. She is trying to woo them into favors, I think. So, precinct. I just need to lie down."

"Right. Here, put my shades on and" Kate half-turned to the back seat and searched around "here is some water" she held out a bottle.

"Girly" he waved the sun-glasses off, not even taking a look. He did make a sip from a bottle though.

"Warm" he frowned.

Yep, still didn't like the responses, she thought. Kate tried to go again.

"You will feel better once it is darker, just put them on, they are unisex."

"No" Rick put his hand over his eyes.

Well, that's going to be easy! Kate thought to herself pulling up.

As she killed the ignition and gathered her stuff , Rick remained seated, silent. She went out of the car, opened the door and pulled slightly on his arm.

"Come on, Castle"

Someone inside his head was having a tap dance performed, maybe some elephants were stomping. He felt totally like a vampire desiring nothing but darkness, besides his eyelids felt really heavy. Thankfully it was around six, so, no bright sunlight. But he hated cars, all this noise they make! And Beckett! He registered she was saying something. He tried to concentrate on the words but it just brought some more pain. He wanted to crawl somewhere quiet, preferably very dark and just rest there, peacefully. But SHE is not going to leave him alone, man, this woman just keeps saying something! Right, she is pulling him out of the car, oh, now he is going to lie down! He tried to go through possible horizontal surfaces at the precinct trying to figure out which would be more comfortable and quiet. Nothing really eligible popped into his hurting head, but he decided to let Beckett figure it out. But then the area didn't look like the precinct, though it was familiar. He recognized Kate's apartment building when they actually entered the hall, detective supporting her writer by the arm. "Nice", he thought," I am in pain and she decides she needs to grab something she just REALLY needs from her apartment". He started walking slower showing that he did not like this pit-stop at all.

"Come on, Castle. Just a couple more steps and we gonna have you lie down."

Having heard "lie down" Castle felt some strength and soon enough she was unlocking her door, letting them in and escorting Castle to the couch. He immediately closed his eyes and put his head on his hands, elbows on his knees. Beckett heard Castle moan. The concern overwhelmed her, all the possible horrible diseases coming into mind.

She kneeled near him and asked softly "Rick, what is it?"

"Can't close my eyes"

"Why not?"

"It starts spinning, like I am on a ferry, and the ferry just gone crazy"

Kate patted Castle on the shoulder and raised to her feet.

"Hang on; I'll be in a minute". Absentmindly she went to her bedroom, changed into something and went into the bathroom to find the pills that got her through blinding headaches in the summer.

She soon reappeared in front of Castle with a glass of water and a pill in her hand.

"Here, Castle, take that. It's really good, you would feel much better almost instantly" She was trying to sound light but his pain had this uneasy effect on her.

"What is it?" He sounded grumpy.

"A pill I used to take when I had similar headaches"

"I am not taking it". Now he sounded defensively.

"Excuse me?"

"Not taking it. I ain't gonna take no pills. I am fine" the pain sent throbbing shootings through his brain as he spoke.

"Almost fine. I-I just need a couple minutes. I already feel better, much better" he lied.

Kate raised her voice automatically. "Castle, you can barely move, you can't talk, hell, you can't even look at me straight for 5 seconds, you need to take something."

"It's not like that and stop yelling, my head hurts"

That is going to be difficult, Beckett thought. She felt so sorry for him, obviously hurting badly and refusing a medicine like a little kid.

"Why won't you take it? What's the matter?"

"I don't like pills. I would be… I am… just fine. They stick to my throat and I don't like them."

Beckett thought of some different approach because apparently sick Castle didn't like to be bothered and hated medicine and was trying so hard to be tough it ached to see him this way. She wanted her cheerful cocky partner back. So, Kate decided, she had to trick him.

"Look, Castle, maybe, if you take the pill, you can have a wish?"

"A wish?" he sounded a little interested, that encouraged her.

"Yeah, like when I was little, dad used to allow me to have a wish if I let him treat me. You know: some extra ice-cream, doll clothing or a sleepover. She smiled at these memories. Castle was silent for a moment, then sighed and finally gave in.

"I'll take a pill if you kiss me."

"EXCUSE ME?" Kate's eyes went wide open, the voice came out shocked and disbelieving. "I am not kissing you, Castle"

"Fine with me. I won't take the pill" now his voice sounded satisfied. But Kate wasn't satisfied at all. She still needed to feed him the medicine. So, she thought, a partner always has to have the other's back. Even if she doesn't like it. She will get him for that later, she definitely will.

"Here, take the pill" she handed him a little white circle "I will kiss you"

"Huh?" He was confused, probably delusional, he decided. Kate Beckett, the love of his life, is going to kiss him? Oh, this headache be damned! or be blessed! At that Castle heard Beckett continue:

"On the cheek. We don't want a heart attack added to the injuries, now do we?"

Castle popped the much-hated medicine into his mouth, took a sip of water, then another one and handed her the glass.

"You don't have to kiss me if you mind" he gave her an escape route.

"I know" she murmured "but we made a deal".

Kate sat on a coach next to Rick. She took his left hand of his cheek and slid her other hand under his right one. She was now cupping his face with her hands, he felt warmth and let her comforting touch envelope him, almost forgetting about the freaking headache. He leaned into her when he felt her left hand leaving its place being replaced with a slightest brush of – o f- it must be her lips, feather light and careful. She didn't break the contact allowing her reassuring presence, her affection sink into him, into her. She then moved her mouth to his temple pressing another kiss just above the pulsing point there. He audibly sighed. She recognized the pain hitching his breath.

"Shhh, It is going to be ok" she murmured "I am right here, it is going to be ok".

She will definitely get him later for that, she thought, not for the kiss though, for blackmailing her.

Kate grabbed a pillow and hugged Rick's shoulders nudging him to put his head on her lap.

"Rick, you need to lie down"

"Nah-ah! It's gonna spin!

"I'll try to anchor you" She smiled at her own words. Castle though wasn't convinced at all, but the need to close his eyes and rest was more urgent than anything. Besides he had lost all his strength and fighting didn't seem an option. Kate looked at Castle and frowned unsure.

"You should probably take your jacket off, and maybe you shirt also, you got an undershirt there? I mean" she searched for words "I mean you will be more comfortable, I think"

"One kiss and you want me naked right away, Beckett? I AM charming!"

She let this one slide. She mentally counted though. She will so get him for this one later.

Castle pulled off his jacket, then unhooked couple of the buttons and took the shirt off pulling it over his head. He tossed both of the garments on the armrest of the couch. The pillow was so inviting , his head so heavy that Castle didn't even pay attention to the fact that he was going to put his head on Beckett's lap. He didn't but she made her presence very clear but putting one of her palms around his head, her other hand on his shoulder. It felt good; he could feel her, stable and reassuring, and just there for him. It was also helping with the spinning a little…

Some time later Castle awoke. He tried to readjust the pillow putting his hand behind his head and searching around.

"Hey" He heard Kate exclaiming loudly "Stop groping me!" He did stop the wandering of his hand but refused to move. Really, what if the headache returns?

"Looking for a pillow there" he sounded demanding. Kate chuckled.

"You tossed it away 5 minutes after going to sleep. Something about bumps and lumps. Apparently, you decided to give me a round bruise"

"What? Why?" Castle nuzzled his head into her lap feeling warm and cozy.

"Stop it, Castle!" Now she was almost shrieking. He couldn't understand.

"What? What am I doing?" he whined.

"You are squashing my legs! "

"Oh!" He loosened his grip immediately realizing that he encircled his arms around her legs and was holding his "pillow" way too tight. "Oh, I am sorry" He could not help but nuzzle into her knees again. It just felt so nice! Besides it was allowed because he was injured.

"How is your head?" Kate inquired.

"It doesn't hurt but it is heavy and kind of cloudy. I will be fine tomorrow" Castle smiled trying to persuade his girlfriend, oh, no-no! his partner, he thought to himself. At that point his phone rang.

Martha was asking him to come over so she can show her son off to her guests in person. Well, that's perfect timing, he thought. To leave when his head just started to feel better and he could actually enjoy himself and maybe, just maybe, Beckett will allow him to rest on her lap some more. He definitely needed THAT medicine. But, his mother was desperate and he so absolutely had to go.

While already at the door Kate raised her hand.

"Wait! You need to take a pill in three hours"

"I am fine, Kate! I couldn't thank you enough. Really, you are, you are great! Next time I feel sick I won't even go to the doctors. No, you are my nurse of choice!"

"Well, you do that" She smiled at him, her smile radiating sincere affection. "But, please, don't be a baby! You need to take the medicine and you know it, it did help you, not me. "

His face was crunched in obvious disgust.

"Wait, I'll give you something else along with a pill." She went to the kitchen retreating a bottle with medicine and something else.

"Interesting" Castle thought and felt involuntary grin spread out on his face.

"Close your eyes" she warned him "and stretch out your hand" He did as he was told.

"What is it?" he asked

"You'll see"

He felt her coming closer, putting a bottle into his outstretched left hand, coming closer, warm and gentle, and then – then - what is it?- oh - she was - oh – uhm – uhuhmmm- she was kissing him … no, THEY were kissing…


End file.
